Critical Fire Weather Conditions Over Southern California; Southern Winter Storm  (FRI)

Critical fire-weather concerns will continue across the Los Angeles Basin and southern California through the morning. Santa Ana winds will begin to tapper off midday Friday and into Saturday. A significant winter storm will continue to bring heavy snow and disruptive ice across much of the South. A Pacific Storm will bring coastal rains and mountain snows to much of the Pacific Northwest. 

CATTLE TRADE:  Cash trade in Texas at $200-1

Thus far for Friday in the Southern Plains negotiated cash trading has been light with moderate demand. In the Texas Panhandle, a few live FOB purchases traded from 200.00-201.00. In Kansas, a few live FOB purchases traded at 201.00. However, not enough purchases in either region for a full market trend. Thursday was the last reported market in the Southern Plains with live FOB purchases at 200.00. In Nebraska negotiated cash trading has been light with moderate demand. When compared to the last market on Thursday, live FOB purchases traded steady at 203.00. The last reported dressed delivered market was on Thursday with purchases at 320.00. In the Western Cornbelt negotiated cash trading has been limited on light demand. The last reported market was on Thursday with live FOB purchases from 200.00-205.00 and dressed delivered purchases at 320.00.

U.S. EXPORT SALES:  Beef sales at 5.6K mt

Net sales 5,600 MT for 2025 marketing year, which began January 1, were primarily for Mexico (2,400 MT, including decreases of 2,800 MT), South Korea (1,300 MT, including decreases of 200 MT), Japan (900 MT, including decreases of 200 MT), China (500 MT, including decreases of 100 MT), and Canada (300 MT, including decreases of 100 MT), were offset by reductions for the Dominican Republic (200MT) and Indonesia (100 MT). Net sales reductions of 800 MT were carried over from the 2024 marketing year, which ended December 31. Exports for the period ending December 31 of 10,400 MT brought accumulated exports to 797,700 MT, down 2 percent from the prior year total of 810,200 MT. The primary destinations were to Japan (3,300 MT), South Korea (2,800 MT), China (1,600 MT), Mexico (800 MT), and Taiwan (500 MT). Exports for January 1 of 600 MT were primarily to South Korea (300 MT), Mexico (100 MT), and China (100 MT).

NATIONAL DROUGHT MONITOR

Based on 30 to 60-day SPI along with a lack of early season snowpack, a 1-category degradation was made to southwestern Colorado. Farther to the north across northwestern Colorado, improving snowpack resulted in a minor reduction in abnormal dryness (D0). Southwestern Nebraska has received little to no precipitation during the past 7 weeks, prompting an expansion of D0. In addition, above-normal temperatures during the late fall and into the early winter exacerbated increasing short-term dryness. Heavy precipitation (more than 1 inch, liquid equivalent) for this time of year resulted in a 1-category improvement to northeastern Kansas. No changes were made to the Dakotas and early January is one of the driest times of the year.

United States Cattle on Feed Down Slightly

Cattle and calves on feed for the slaughter market in the United States for feedlots with capacity of 1,000 or more head totaled 12.0 million head on December 1, 2024. The inventory was slightly below December 1, 2023.   Placements in feedlots during November totaled 1.80 million head, 4 percent below 2023. Net placements were 1.74 million head. During November, placements of cattle and calves weighing less than 600 pounds were 495,000 head, 600-699 pounds were 420,000 head, 700-799 pounds were 375,000 head, 800-899 pounds were 276,000 head, 900-999 pounds were 145,000 head, and 1,000 pounds and greater were 85,000 head.   Marketings of fed cattle during November totaled 1.73 million head, 1 percent below 2023.   Other disappearance totaled 55,000 head during November, 2 percent above 2023.